Gymnocalycium mihanovichii

El Gymnocalycium mihanovichii It is one of the most appreciated cacti, especially by those who do not have much space to have their plants. And it is that an adult specimen can live without problems in a small pot, about ten centimeters in diameter.

With some basic care, it will bloom year after year, making it look even prettier if possible. Would you like to meet him? Here we go  .

Origin and characteristics

Our protagonist is a species of cactus endemic to Paraguay and Argentina. It develops a solitary and spherical stem, grayish green or reddish green that reaches a size of 3 to 6 centimeters (height and diameter). It has eight well-defined ribs, from whose areolas sprout 5 to 6 yellowish-gray, flexible and weak spines with a length of up to one centimeter.

Blooms in spring-summer. The flowers are bell-shaped, 4-5cm long, and pale olive-yellow in color. Once they are pollinated, the fruit is produced, which will be spindle-shaped and will contain numerous black-brownish seeds.

Graft of Gymnocalycium mihanovichii

It is a cactus that is often used to graft onto another, usually Hylocereus. It is made with mutations incapable of photosynthesis, since they do not have chlorophyll, and their bodies usually have a very striking color, yellow, red, dark lilac, etc.

These plants are known as Gymnocalycium mihanovichii cv. Hibotan.

What are their cares?

If you want to have a copy, we recommend that you provide the following care so that it is well healthy:

Location

It is important to be abroad, preferably in a bright area but without direct sunlight. In the case of living in a place with a mild climate, you can be exposed to the sun, but for example in the Mediterranean region it is not recommended because the insolation is strong.

Earth

Being a rather small plant, it can be had in pots with pomx, akadama, or with somewhat acidic substrates (on sale No products found.) mixed with perlite (for sale No products found.) at 100%.

Irrigation

Rather moderate. You have to let the substrate dry between waterings, but it is not good to let it get too thirsty. Therefore, you should know that in hot and dry climates it is usually watered an average of 3 times a week during the hottest season, and once a week the rest of the year.

In the case of living in an area where it rains regularly, you will have to water less frequently, and you may even have to protect your Gymnocalycium mihanovichii indoors if those rains are frequent.

Every time you water make sure you soak all the soil well. If you see that it does not filter through it, if not that it goes to the sides, and if it is also dry, take the pot and place it for a few minutes in a basin of water, and then take it out of there. In this way, the substrate will be able, again, to absorb the precious liquid when you water again.

Likewise, you should avoid wetting the cactus otherwise it would rot quickly. For this reason, it is also not a good idea to plant it in a pot without holes or to put a plate under it.

What type of water to use to irrigate?

The best is rain, but since not everyone can have it, you can use bottled water, or one that barely has lime. It is a plant that we could almost define as acidophilus; that is, it does not tolerate lime too much, and as a consequence it requires substrates and waters with a low pH (6-6.5).

Therefore, if the one you can get is alkaline, mix the juice of half a lemon in a liter of water, and with some pH strips (on sale No products found. or at any pharmacy) check to see if it's getting more acidic.

Subscriber

During all the warm months of the year you must pay with a specific fertilizer for cacti, following the indications specified on the product packaging. You have it liquid (like this one they sell No products found.) and in granules (for sale No products found.).

Transplant

The pot has to be changed every two or three years, in spring, until it reaches its final size.

Pruning

You don't need it. You just have to remove the flowers and fruits that are drying.

Plagues and diseases

El Gymnocalycium mihanovichii It is a very resistant cactus, but it can be attacked by snails y mealybugs. In addition, if it is watered excessively, fungi such as phytophthora will appear, softening the plant and causing it to rot.

Multiplication

It multiplies by seeds, and the varieties grafted by separation of shoots. How to proceed in each case?

Seeds

The seeds are sown in pots with, for example, vermiculite (for sale No products found.) or with a mixture that facilitates drainage (as a substrate for acid plants and 50% perlite). Then they are watered consciously, and placed outside, in semi-shade.

They will germinate in a period of 7 to 14 days.

Stem separation

They are separated when they are of a size that is easy to handle, and are then grafted onto rooted stalks of Hylocereus protected from direct sun. To do this, what is done is to cut with a previously disinfected knife a slice from one end of the Hylocereus, place the sucker of Gymnocalycium mihanovichii on top, and finally keep them well together with an elastic band.

You can remove the gum in about a month.

Rusticity

The grafts are very cold: they only resist up to 10ºC; but nevertheless, the type species does withstand weak and specific frosts of up to -3ºC.

What did you think of this cactus?